Besides a focus on energy policy and putting solar panels on top of the White House, there are also deeper connections. Both Democrats rose quickly to power on the heels of an unpopular Republican presidency. They both faced an economy in crisis. And they both spent a lot of time in office learning one important lesson, it's nice to have good ideas — but it's better to be able to sell them.

So, what can President Obama learn from the lessons of President Carter? Sam Donaldson, co-anchor of Prime Votes on RLTV, is in a good position to answer that question — he covered the Carter presidency during his 43 years as a White House correspondent. Historian and author Jenny Weber also joins the conversation.